Is Love Still Alive?
by ArtistWithWords1901
Summary: What if Thomas didn't keep both eyes open? What if Kocoum survived , and John still got shot? Can Pocahontas love him or will her love for her possibly dead John Smith keep her heart locked up?
1. Chapter 1

"I'll always be with you, forever." His voice echoed in my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and his face appeared. His sholder length, golden hair layed around his head on the makeshift streacher. His face was momentarily contorted with pain. I quickly opened my eyes. I didn't want to remember him like that. I stood up, taking one last look at the horizon that John had dissapeared into and the sea that caried him away. He could no longer be seen, so with a heavy heart, I made my way back to my father's camp. I didn't have the usual spring in my step. I couldn't hear the birds singing. I couldn't hear the spirit of the wind whisper his guidence in my ear. Instead, he carried me along, showing my way back home. The leaves swirled around my feet as he encouraged me to keep moving. "Just a few more steps." He promised.  
>"Pocahontas!" I heard someone call from the village. I looked towards the source of the voice to find Nakoma, my best friend, jogging toward me. SHe caught me in her arms.<br>"How are you feeling?" She asked.  
>"He's gone. I'll never see him agian."<br>"Come, I'll take you to your father and you can lay down for awhile." She said sympatheticly. She wrapped her arm around my waist and guided me through the village. All eyes were on me. I could hear them all whisper.  
>"Poor Girl. The little princess lost her first love, so tragic at such a young age." Were some of the nicer comments. Others made me burn red with furry. Some young, cocky, ignorant warriors said things like, "This is a sign that the white demons are nothing but trouble. Look at what they have done to her! I say we gather a war party and attack!" Thoes kind of comments were followed by cheered and sounds of approval from other braves. All talk. Father would never let them attack the settlers.<p>

We came to the hill leading up to my father's lodge. "Nakoma, I can take her from here." A man said as he walked out of his lodge at the foot of the hill. "Thank you, Kocoum." Nakoma said gratefully. She handed me over to him. He swept me up in his bug, strong arms. I felt safe and sheltered there. I layed my head on his chest and closed my eyes. The warmth of his skin and the steady drumming of his heart were soothing. I was taken back to a time when the great beating of his heart was almost silenced.

_ A great cry rang through the trees, interrupting my own personal heaven. John's hands dropped from my waist and our lips left eachother. A blur ran past me and knocked John to the ground. I spun around to realize the blur was Kocoum, the man my father arranged for me to marry._  
><em>"Kocoum, no!" I sceamed. He brought his tomohawk down to John's head. He blocked the fatal blow with a stick, which let him flip Kocoum on his back. That gave John enough time to jump to his feet and Kocoum enough time to pull his knife from his belt, leaving the forgotten tomohawk in the dirt. He ran towards John, ready to stab him. John caught him by his wrists and held him back.<em>  
><em> "Kocoum!" I pleaded. They managed to wrestle eachother to the ground agian. Kocoum was back ontop of John, the John quickly flipped over so he was on top. They rolled agian. This time, Kocoum stayed ontop. I saw my opportunity. <em>  
><em> "Leave him alone." I cried and wrapped my arms around Kocoum. I pulled as hard as I could, but my attempts to pull him off John were failed as he knocked me off with the flick of an arm. I landed on the ground with a slight thud. I looked back at Kocoum, forcing the knife nearer and nearer to John's throat. I couldn't let him kill him. I got back up and tried agian to pull Kocoum off. A shot rang out then. <em>  
><em> We all stopped what we were doing and looked up to see another whiteman holding a smoking gun. He wasn't really a man, more of a boy. A piece of bark flew off a tree that was dangerously close to me and Kocoum. The boy was shaking, terrified. Our heads all jerked toward the distance, where more war crys echoed. <em>  
><em> "Thomas, get out of here!" John barked at the boy. We could hear multipule feet running towards us. The boy named Thomas took a few unsure steps toward the trees. <em>  
><em> "Get out of here!" John comanded agian, louder this time. The boy obeyed this time. He managed to vanish from sight just as the invisible war party showed theirselves to us. They immediatly seezed John and dragged him back toward the village. They dissapeared throught the trees. <em>  
><em> "Kocoum! Why did you do that?" I yelled.<em>  
><em> "Pocahontas he's a white man! He has no heart! He's a demon!"<em>  
><em> "How can you say that? You've never even met any of them!"<em>  
><em> "I don't need to, do you not remember the little white man that almost shot us? He could've killed you, Pocahontas! And what did your 'lover' do? He let him get away with it! He doesn't really love you he only wants you in his lodge!"I slapped his face hard.<em>  
><em> "Don't you dare speak about John that way! I love him!" I screamed. Shock was plastered across his threatened to excape from my eyes. I turned my back to him so he couldn't see me cry. Sobs rocked my body to my dismay. I felt a huge hand place itself gently between my sholder blades. I looked through blurry eyes at Kocoum. <em>  
><em> "I'm sorry, I didn't realize how much you cared about him. I'll understand if you don't forgive me and I'll tell your father that I dont want to marry you because I've already fallen in love with someone else." <em>  
><em> "But you don't love someone else."<em>  
><em> "I'll find someone, if it will make you happy." He said as he looked over my head into the distance, his face turning to the usual stone.<em>  
><em> "Thank you." I whispered in disbelief. I couldn't believe he would do that for me.<em>  
><em> "Only because I love you." He said, still not looking at me, his voice and face still stone. He kept his hand on my back as he led me back to the village.<em>

"Pocahontas! Thank you so much, Kocoum. Lay her down right here." Father said as Kocoum carried me inside my father's lodge. Father led Kocoum to my bed roll. He layed me down on the soft furs and Father covered me with a bear skin.  
>"Do you think, she'll be okay?" Kocoum asked. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell he was truely concerned.<br>"Yes, she just needs some rest. She's had a rough couple of weeks. How is Wikimak?" Father asked.  
>"She is fine. Busy preparing for the wedding." Kocoum said, his voice turning emotionless as he spoke of his bride to be.<br>"That is good to hear." My father said as he and Kocoum walked outside to talk and leave me in peace. I slowly drifted off to sleep.

_A shot rang through the new peaceful scene. John screamed, "NO!" He dove toward my father, knocking him out of the way, thus getting hit with the bullet instead. He fell to the ground, his light blue shirt now stained red. "Pocahontas. Help me. I love you." He gasped as he slipped into death._

I shot straight up. I was gasping for air and sweat was running down my body. I looked around. It was all just a nightmare. It was now dark and my father was asleep on the otherside of the room. I flipped the heavy bearskin off of me and walked out into the cool, clear night. I made my way down to the river and splashed the cold wather on my face. I could see a reflection dancing on the surface of the moonlit water. I turned around. Kocoum was standing by a tree.  
>"I saw you walking down the hill." he said.<br>"Are you still spying on me? You don't have to worry, there are no more evil white men lurking in the shadows to seduce me." I snapped.  
>"No, actually, I was sharpening some of my knives and arrows before I go hunting for the wedding feast." he said as he sat down on the bank beside me.<br>"Oh. Sorry." I said, embarrased.  
>"It's alright. I deserved that." he looked up somberly at the full moon and idly picked apart a piece of grass inbetween his fingers.<br>I was instantly filled with guilt. "You don't have to marry Wikimak, you know."  
>"Yes I do. If I don't, your father will make us get married. I know you don't love me like that."<br>I looked at his hard face, pale in the shining moon. I could only remember his strong arms around me and the rocking motion of his body as he carried me. His hand on my back. Collapsing into his arms as they treated John in the Medical Lodge. His sweet voice whispering in my ear that everything would be all right. The spark in his eyes and the smile on his face as he watched me play in the woods. The soft smile on his face when he held his sister's new born baby in his big arms. The rythm of his heart beat like a drum that made me want to dance. In that moment, I wasn't so sure I didn't.

**Author's Note: I own NOTHING! All character's belong to Disney! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

I sighed as I slowly picked a piece of corn off the stalk. I lightly placed it in my shallow basket. This all seemed too familiar. I routinely looked up, expecting to see John walk through the rows of corn, the same bright loving smile on his face. I wanted to sneak away with him again. I wanted to go back.

"Pocahontas, are you okay?" Nakoma asked by my side. I looked up at her and realized I somehow ended up kneeling on the ground.

"I'm fine, I just didn't sleep too well last night." I said. It wasn't a complete lie. I didn't go back to sleep after Kocoum and the river. Instead I got in my canoe and aimlessly sailed down the river and to the point where the river meets the ocean. I don't know what I was expecting to find, maybe John's ship coming back with him on it, all healed up and smiling.

"Pocahontas." I heard a stone hard voice call. I didn't even have to look to know it was Kocoum. He appeared through the corn, carrying a spear like a walking stick and a bow slung across his chest and arrows hanging in a quiver at his belt beside his knife. I quickly stood up. "Wikimak wants you and Nakoma to help with her wedding dress. She sent me after you both." He turned and left without another word. I stared at the leaves that trembled from his touch.

"We should hurry." Nakoma said and grabbed my wrist with her free hand and guided me through a different path. We came out of the side of the corn field closest to the storage lodge. She led me inside the dark damp house. She dumped her basket of corn into the bin with the rest of it. I contributed my one ear. We laid our baskets along the wall with the other baskets and I followed her to Wikimak's wigwam.

Nakoma held open the deerskin blanket for me. Inside I could hear women gossip and giggle. I knew I would never make it out of this alive. Never the less, Nakoma pushed me in.

"Look at how beautiful my dress is!" Wikimak's annoying high pitched voice exclaimed as she spun in a circle. The firelight danced on the purple and yellow of her dress. She was encouraged by the other women's oohs and aahs. I tried to stay against the wall and become invisible. It was just my luck that Wikimak would stop in mid spin and spot me right off. "Oh Pocahontas! I didn't see you come in!" She said with about as much innocence and sweetness as a rattle snake. I could only give her half of a smile before I sat down against the wall and started weaving various yellow flowers into a necklace for her.

"You are so lucky to have Kocoum for a husband." A young girl, around the age of thirteen, said with a dreamy sigh.

"You're right, Pules. She is very lucky. Think of all the beautiful furs you will have because you're married to such a great hunter, Wikimak." Another girl around my age, Sokanon said.

"I'll have the best furs and the most beautiful beads. I may even be richer than Powatan himself." She laughed and looked at me with a sneer on her face. I glared back.

"She cannot be here." We all turned to look at Nadie, the oldest, wisest woman in the village. She was sitting at the far end of the wigwam, wrapped in a deer skin robe. Her skin barely clung to her thin, brittle bones. Her eyes were deep and dark, holding all the years and things she had seen. "Pocahontas's heart is bitter from heartbreak. She will doom the marriage if she stays. She must go." Without objection, I stood up and walked out. Behind me I could hear Wikimak assure everyone that my bitterness could not damage the love Kocoum has for her. I rolled my eyes as I let the blanket drop behind me.

I ran into the woods, not knowing where I was going, just as long as I was away from staring, judging eyes. I ran swiftly and quietly, focusing on the sounds around me. I could hear birds leaping off tree branches to escape my path. Every so often a leaf would crunch or a twig would snap under my foot. I could hear a brook babbling to the wind far to my right. I heard an arrow thud against a tree trunk by my head. I froze and looked around. I knew the shooter was aiming for me and for some reason; I couldn't bring myself to run. Not even when I heard the shooter pound through the brush toward me.

**A/N; I'm so sorry it took me so long to post another chapter, my computer crashed :( All characters belong to Disney, Sorry for the cliff hanger, I won't wait as long to post a new chapter this time :)**


	3. Chapter 3

I was frozen like a deer as the shooter got closer and closer, louder and louder. My heartbeat began to quicken. I could feel it pounding in my ears. He was just behind the bush, any moment and he will kill me. Why couldn't I get my legs to work?

"Pocahontas!" Kocoum said as he pulled me in to a big hug. His skin smelled like smokey fires and sunshine. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were a deer! Are you alright?" His strong arms crushed me in his grip.

"Kocoum, I'm fine. It's alright. Let me go, you're hugging to tight. I gasped through crushing lungs.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He let me fall from his arms. I stabled myself against a small tree. "I thought you were helping with… the wedding?" I had to look up at him when he paused and his voice changed back to the usual stone.

"I was but I got kicked out."

"You didn't stab someone did you?" He asked, his voice thawing out.

I smiled as I said, "No, I would've cursed your marriage with my bitter heart so I had to leave."

"My marriage is already cursed." I heard him mumble under his breath as he looked down at the ground and kicked a rock, sending it bouncing off a tree trunk and into the brush. I knew I wasn't supposed to hear it, so I played dumb to ensure my innocence.

"What?"

"Nothing." He anxiously looked in the direction I was running. "Where were you going anyway?"

"I don't know, I just felt like running."

"Well I'll run with you."

"Are you going to shoot me again?" I asked with a smile as I pulled the arrow from the tree beside my head and handed it to him. He smiled that warm smile that I see only seen when we are alone.

"Only if you don't move fast enough." He teased and took the arrow from me, our fingers lightly brushing, sending sparks through my arm and to my heart.

"Only if _I_ don't move fast enough?"

"Yeah. Why don't we make things a little more interesting?"

"Okay." I said through a small smile.

"Last one to the falls has to jump off of them." I had to laugh to myself. I've dove off of the falls thousands of times before.

"Okay, ready, set"

"GO!" I shouted and shot through the trees like an arrow. I started to follow him, slowly at first until we got halfway to the falls. I wanted him to think he'd won. "Am I going to have to shoot you again, Pocahontas?" He chucked back to me. I took that as my invitation. I pushed my legs to go faster and faster until I was side by side with him.

I could see the surprise on his winded face as I pushed ahead of him. I laughed as I pushed myself off the trees around me, using them to propel myself forward. I came to a quick stop on a rock at the edge of the water. The falls roared below me and the mist slowly rose up, sticking to my bare arms and legs. Kocoum was well behind me. I smiled to myself and sat down on the rock to wait for him to catch up. The flashbacks started again.

_We ran along the hidden pine trails of the forest. His hair was golden in the setting sun and seemed to make everything else golden by its reflection. I beat him, too._

Kocoum burst through the trees, pulling me back. He was gasping for breath as he dropped to his knees on the clay shore of the river. He cupped the water in his hands and splashed it on his hot face, just like John did before we first met.

_Don't think about him. _I prompted myself.

"Do I need to shoot you?" I said playfully. Kocoum looked up at me with a tired, white smile. Water dripped off of his chin and the tip of his nose. He stood up and slowly made his way over to me.

"So I guess I have to jump." He handed me his bow and quiver with arrows. I looked over the edge of the falls. Water slammed violently into the rocks below.

"I don't know, it looks really rough today." I trailed off as I stared down at the water.

"It'll be fine." He thrust his bow and arrows into my arms and waded to a rock on the edge of the falls.

"Make sure you run and push yourself off of the rocks so you go away from the falls and don't hit the rocks." I called to him.

"I know what I'm doing." He said and paused for a moment, staring over the edge.

"Kocoum…"

"I can do it, Pocahontas." He took a deep breath and backed up a few steps, then ran across the rock. His body extended in flight as he glided into empty air, then disappeared over the cliff. I slung the quiver over my back and gripped the bow tighter. I peeked over the edge. There was no sign of him.


	4. Chapter 4

I waited for a moment. He still wasn't up. He should be up by now. Why wasn't he up? I decided I had waited a moment too long and darted off the rocks and back into the woods. I sped down the slope as fast as I could, hoping I wasn't too late. Knowing I was.

Why didn't I stop him? Why didn't I let him win? I can jump off the rocks better. My stupid pride always got in the way. This is all my fault. I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid.

The damp earth gave way to the rocky shore of the river. It slowed me down, but not too much. My feet splashed up the icy water, soaking the hem of my dress. I didn't care. I kept running. I had too.

"Kocoum!" I screamed. I froze for a moment, listening for an answer. None came. Oh, Spirits, please let him be okay. I ran further downstream and tried again.

"Kocoum!" still no answer. I began to panic as my chest tightened and my vision began to blur with tears.

"Kocou-"I was cut off by a sudden force around my waist. It yanked me behind a rock and pulled me down under the water.

I tried to scream but when I opened my mouth, water filled me. I couldn't breathe. I kicked and flailed my arms and legs until I managed to resurface.

I quickly began to cough up all the water inside me as I looked around for what did this to me. I was furious to find a grinning Kocoum perched up on a nearby rock, soaking wet and looking like he deserved a reward or something.

"How… dare… you." I growled in between coughs.

"Pocahontas," He giggled, "You look like a wet mountain lion. What's wrong?"

"I thought you were dead! You had me worried sick!" His face deflated into a frown.

"So you didn't like my joke?" He looked at me with sad, puppy eyes. All my anger dissolved in a flash. Darn it. I wanted to really let him have it.

"Just don't scare me like that ever again." I sighed. His grin returned and he slid off the rock and back into the water. He was standing in front of me in two giant steps and before I knew it, his arms gathered me up in another hug."

"I'm sorry." He said softly above my head. I instantly warmed in his grip. He let go too soon and the chilly air hit my wet skin, freezing me through.

"Maybe we should get back to the village and dried off before you get sick or something." He grabbed my hand in one of his big ones and led me out of the water.

"Wonder whose fault it is we're wet." I grumbled.

"Hush before I throw you back in." He smiled. I couldn't help but smile back. There was just something about his smile that made me want to, too. Maybe because it was so rarely seen.

He kept ahold of my hand and we walked back to the village in silence.

"Where's my bow?" He asked and looked around me. I realized with a sick feeling to my stomach that it was gone, along with the arrows.

"I must've dropped them in my panic to find you." I said accusingly. He sighed and we continued to walk to the village.

"I'll have to go and look for it tomorrow, when it's brighter." We glanced up at the orange sky. It would be dark soon.

"I'll go with you and help." I offered. After all, it was my fault the bow was gone anyway.

"You don't have to."

"I want to." Even though he was staring at the ground, I could see a smile creep across his face. I had to smile too.

Everything felt perfect in that moment and I thought nothing could take away my smile.

Naturally I was wrong.

We broke through the tree line and into the open of the village. Everything was too quiet. I looked up to find them all staring at us, mouths agape. I suddenly became extremely aware of Kocoum's hand around mine.


	5. Chapter 5

Our fingers quickly slipped away from each other. The change didn't end the stares, unfortunately. I could feel my skin become hot from the embarrassment. I could just hear what they would all say. I quickly made my way to the left, keeping my eyes to the ground. Leaving Kocoum behind in the dust.

I didn't slow my pace or take my eyes off my feet until I was safe inside my father's lodge. I hurried inside and landed on my bed with a light thud. I buried my face in the soft skins, wanting to bury myself from the world.

"My daughter, is everything alright?" the voice of my father said, making me jump. I thought I was alone. Of course I wasn't. I never am anymore. I whipped my head around to face him, sitting up in the process.

He was standing in the corner, combing out his graying hair with a seashell comb. Concern aged his face by another ten years. I immediately felt guilty. He was the chief, he had enough to worry him and he didn't need my problems on top of it.

"I'm fine, just tired. I went on a run through the woods." I explained.

"Why are you all wet?" his question made me aware of my wet clothes and hair that clung to my body and face.

"I got hot and dove into the river for a swim." I quickly lied. He seemed to believe it, as a faint smile spread across his face, melting away the concern.

"Well you better hurry up and get changed into something dry, dinner will be served any minute now." He said gently and turned to walk out of the lodge.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get control of my nerves. I could smell the deer was almost done and decided Father was right, I probably should get dressed. I got up off my bed and walked over to my clothes that were stored in a basket in the corner. I pulled out another buckskin dress and swapped it for my wet one.

The red paint that adorned my right arm had washed off some, so I quickly grabbed the bowl of thick, red liquid off of a table near my father's possessions and reapplied it, the same pattern I always wore.

I tugged the seashell comb through my hair, yanking all the knots out before drying it in a fox fur, then repeating the process. I spotted a turkey feather lying by the bowl of paint and decided it would make a nice touch. The poor little princess is dressing up tonight.

I took a deep breath. _You can do this, Pocahontas_. I pushed my shoulders back, puffed out my chest, and held my head up high as I marched out of my father's lodge. I made my way to the center of the village where everyone was gathered for their evening meal. I was all too aware of the stares aimed at me. My head only raised itself higher. I wasn't used to all the pity.

I took my seat on the mat at Father's right hand. He smiled down at me from his larger stacks of mats.

"You're certainly looking better." He commented.

"I'm feeling better."

"Good, I was thinking if you were feeling up to it, maybe you could take a few warriors and deliver some crops to the settlers." I brightened at those words. Food. That meant Father still intended to keep his peace treaty.

"I would be glad to."

"I'm happy to hear that." On that note, Nakoma meekly took her seat at my right hand.

"Wingapo, Nakoma!" I said as brightly as I could. I wasn't going to let anybody feel pity for me any longer. She looked a little stunned by my sudden brightness, but slowly let herself relax in my seemingly genuine warmth.

"Wingapo, Pocahontas." she smiled a relieved smile at me. We continued on with the dinner, nothing but light and pleasant conversation revolved around me. I allowed myself to feed off the cheery atmosphere, starving for some kind of happiness. It was working until Nakoma's shy smile snuck off and left a look of horror in its place.

"Pocahontas!" She hissed in my ear, low enough for only me to hear, "Where is your mother's necklace?" My hand instantly flew up to my bare neck. She was right. It was gone. It must've fallen off in the river. I felt like I was about to see everything I just ate. Why can't I ever just be happy without something going wrong?

"I'll be back." I said to no one in particular. I stood up and tried to calmly, and cooly, retreat to Father's lodge. My calm and coolness broke into a sprint. I searched all over the place, hoping to find it there. I felt even sicker when it wasn't. I collapsed on the ground in frustration, placing my head in between my knees and my arms over them. First John, now my mother's necklace. Everything was slipping though my fingers.

Tears streamed down my face. That was the only tangible thing I had of my mothers, and now it was gone. _Are you trying to tell me I'm going down the wrong path, Great Spirit_?

"Pocahontas?"


	6. Chapter 6

My head shot up. Nakoma was standing in the doorway. A lot of people were finding me in this sort of broken down state lately. I wasn't doing very well committing to the old, happy Pocahontas.

"Did you find it?"

"No." I said after a moment of hesitation. She kneeled down beside me on the ground. Just as she had the night John was taken captive.

"I'm sure it just fell off somewhere while you were running in the woods. Wait until daylight and retrace your steps." She said encouragingly. I could only nod in agreement. She patted my back gently and stood up.

"Are you coming back?"

"No, I think I'm going to turn in early." I mumbled without moving. She stared down at me for a moment before walking back outside. I waited a few moments before I stood up and peeked outside. Nakoma had gotten back to her seat and everyone was distracted by the food. Now is my perfect chance.

I slowly slid out the door, careful to keep my body pressed as close as possible to the wall, hidden in the shadows. I inched myself along the sturdy surface until I managed to reach the tree line. Once I had entered those shadows, I knew I was free. Now all I had to do was find the waterfall. In the dark.

The sound of my breath was the only thing that could be heard. I ran as quickly as possible, but the moon wasn't as bright as it had been the night before. I glanced up at the sky. It was dark with clouds. Not a single star could be seen. I could feel the moisture in the air. I paused to listen more closely. Not a single cricket. A storm was on its way.

I picked up my pace as I started to run again. I had to find it before the storm hit. I kept running, my chest feeling tight and my legs going numb. I would've stopped if I hadn't heard a faint roaring of water in the distance. I moved even faster. I almost ran straight into the river because of the darkness.

I began my search around the river bank. I quickly gave up on my sight and got on all fours to feel around the rocks. I felt desperately for those smooth, blue beads without luck. A flash of lightning illuminated the scene for a brief period. Nothing looked blue in that instant. All I saw were grays and blacks. No blue. The lightning was followed by ear shattering thunder. I looked more frantically. _Flash. _I moved closer to the water's edge. _Boom._ The water felt even icier than it did earlier. _Flash_. My fingers dug into the soft clay as I grasped for the necklace. _Boom._

The rain began pouring down all at once. I gasped at the sudden rush of wet. I continued to look. I had to find it, even if I stayed out all night. I had to find it. I crawled for what must've been an hour. Nothing blue. I was so focused that I didn't hear the footsteps behind me.

I was yanked up off the ground by the back of my dress. I screamed and was ready to fight back, until I saw who it was.

"Kocoum!" I shrieked, half shocked, half furious. "How did you find me?"

"Nakoma sent me to find you." Nakoma. I made a vow to skin her alive when I got back. It was always her fault that I never got away with sneaking out. I realized that Kocoum still had a fistful of the back of my dress in his hand.

"Let me go!" He did so reluctantly. I landed with my feet on the ground. I spun around to face him. I glared up into his dark, angry eyes.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" I barked.

"I came out here to find you!" He yelled back.

"I'm not a child anymore, Kocoum, I don't need you to watch over me!" I dropped back down to the ground and began searching again.

"You _look_ like a child squabbling on the ground like that. What are you doing anyway?"

"Looking for my mother's necklace." I growled. Not daring to stop or look up.

"You'll never find it tonight! It's too dark and the storm is too strong!" I ignored him. "Pocahontas." I continued to search. "Pocahontas!" He pulled me up off the ground again, but this time he kept a firm grip on my upper arm. He began to drag me back through the trees.

"Kocoum! Let me go!" I struggled against his grip, but it was too strong for me.

"You'll get sick if you stay out in this weather. You can keep looking tomorrow." He mumbled through clenched teeth. I didn't protest any further, but continued to struggle like a fish in a net.

He brought me straight to my father's lodge, where my father was waiting inside. Kocoum all but threw me in the door. My father stopped his pacing around the fire to look at the pair of us. His face ranged from surprise to anger.

"I found her." Kocoum stated.

"Thank you, Kocoum. I am sorry to have bothered you with this so close to your wedding."

"It's alright, I'm happy to have helped, Chief Powhatan." Kocoum said, sounding exhausted. He left to his lodge quickly, leaving me to the wrath of my father.

"Pocahontas! You can't just go running off in the dark! It is _dangerous_ out there! You could be killed! You could be hurt! You have shamed me!" He screamed. I couldn't defend myself. I didn't have the heart to tell him I lost my mother's necklace.

"How could you be so foolish? After everything that has happened?" It was obvious he wanted an answer. All I could give him was,

"I'm sorry, Father." He sighed before he sent me to my bed.


	7. Chapter 7

I awoke to the smell of smoky fires and bright rays of sunshine shining through the smoke hole in the ceiling. I wanted to turn over and pull my bearskin up over my head and sleep in. My memory of last night shot up in my head like fire and I was up and out of my bed as if lightning had struck me. I didn't bother to brush my hair or bathe in the river. I ran straight out of the lodge and for the woods.

Thistles and briars caught on my dress, legs, and arms, leaving tiny scratches. I didn't care though. I just needed to get to that waterfall.

A light breeze blew me in the right direction. It lingered enough to play with the strands of my hair and fringes of my dress. I smiled and thanked the spirit of the wind for his good sign. Rays of sun beamed down through the canopies of the trees, lining my path with gold. Gold.

"_Gold, it comes out of the ground. It's really valuable." _John's voice echoed in my head.

We don't have gold here.

"_Won't they be surprised." _

Will they go home?

"_Some of them might."_

Will you go home?

"_I don't really have a home to go back to. I've never really belonged anywhere."_

You could belong here.

No, he doesn't belong here. He went home already. He's home now with his own medicine man to take care of him. He's better there. He will come back.

A cool mist hit the side of my face and I stopped to see where I was at as I was aimlessly running. The waterfall was right there. I began searching as quickly as possible, using the bright sun to help me hunt out a bright blue in the sea of brown and gray rocks. Sea. The word hit me with a striking blow, almost knocking me into the water.

What if it fell off in the current?

What if it was carried out to sea? I'd never find it then. I couldn't give up. I had to keep looking in case the spirits decided to have mercy on me. I frantically searched, trying to stay calm but failing miserably. I was interrupted by an angry grunt.

I froze again. My very first thought was bear. Big bear. Big bear with a cub? I wasn't going to stick around to find out. I slowly began to creep back to the bank, trying not to make a sound. I was almost in the safety of the trees when a dark figure caught my attention from down the river. That figure was a person perched up on a rock, their back turned to me. It was one of my people. I knew exactly who it was and I knew I needed to warn him about the bear that must be still hidden in the trees somewhere.

I quickly and quietly ran just inside the trees, keeping my eyes out for the bear the whole time. Every leaf crunch and twig snap sounded like thunder. Deer, help my feet be silent. As I got closer, I began to quietly call his name.

"Kocoum." I whispered from the trees. He looked up and around to see where his name came from. He didn't see me as he went back to fumbling with whatever he was doing in his lap. I dared to step out of the trees a bit. "Kocoum!" I whispered a little louder. This time he looked straight up at me and his hands flew down to cover up whatever was in his lap. He looked a bit shocked.

"Wingapo, Pocahontas. What are-"

"Shhh!" I interrupted him.

"What's wrong?" He whispered, clearly confused by my oddness.

"You have to get out of here! There's a bear around here somewhere!" I whispered back. He definitely looked more interested in what I had to say.

"Where?" He looked around.

"I don't know, but I heard it roar just a few minutes ago." I expected him to move, but he just sat there, a puzzled expression on his face that slowly morphed into amusement. He began lauging his booming laugh.

"Are you crazy!?" I whispered as loud as I dared. He eventually stopped laughing long enough to say,

"That wasn't a bear. That was me." It was my turn to be puzzled.

"What do you mean that was you? What were you doing?" I said back in my regular voice. His smile faded and a blush spread over his face. He shifted on the rock he was sitting on.

"Well I got up early this morning and came down here… and… well… I tried to save it but it broke…" He moved his hands to show what was in his lap. I moved beside him on the rock to see a bone needle, a string of leather, and the blue beads of my mother's necklace.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I am soooo soooo sorry its taking me so long to post chapters! My computer is barely functioning so if you all could just please be patient and not hate me that would be great Please understand I try to update whenever I can and I love your guys' comments please keep reviewing and tell me what you think!


	8. Chapter 8

My heart caught in a knot in my throat. He not only found my mother's necklace, but he was trying to fix it, too. After a moment of silence, he turned his red face back down to concentrate at the task at hand. I felt drawn to him. My legs slowly stepped through the water and to the rock that he was sitting on. He moved over enough for me to be able to get up to sit beside him.

His big fingers clumsily fumbled with the delicate needle and the small beads. It was almost funny to watch. A wind blew gently through the trees, skipping across the water and tangling itself in my hair. I followed its guide and let my eyes wander up to look at the sunlight shimmer through the dancing leaves until it splashed its way into the babbling river. A few fish shone like silver as they chased the rays of sun in vain, hoping to warm itself.

I watched the fish swim until it crossed the shadow of a doe. She looked at us in full alert before deciding that we posed no threat. She made a grunting noise and out came two of her fawns, so young that they still had spots. The first came out timid and meek, staying close to its mother, who drank from the river. The second was more playful. More curious about the world. He pranced out from behind his cover and splashed his face down in the river. I couldn't help but smile at him.

I watched as he quickly became bored with the river. He wandered over to a patch of honeysuckles. He buried his face in the sweet smelling bush, inhaling a few times before backing away. He had picked up a new friend. A blue and black butterfly sat on the tip of his nose. He stared at it in amusement before the scent of the flowers overcame him. The butterfly flew away as he let out a couple sneezes. I watched the butterfly as it flittered through the air, then finally came to a land on a pile of driftwood. It slowly crawled over to what looked to be a lost red bead.

That wasn't just one lost bead. As I looked closer, I saw a pattern. I gasped as I realized that that was no random pile of wood. It was Kocoum's bow and quiver. I stole a quick glance at his face. He was still focused on my mother's necklace. Slowly, I slid off the rock and waded through the water, closer to the pile. The butterfly was the first to run, followed quickly by the deer. I picked up the ragged buckskin tube and the snapped stick. They were both completely ruined. I lanced back over my shoulder. He still hadn't noticed them. He probably forgot about them in is rush to find my necklace.

Quietly, I hid the once beautiful bow and quiver under a bush. It would beak his heart to see it like that. He had spent weeks carving the bow out of an oak branch and his mother, before her passing to the land of the Great Spirit, embroidered every single bead into the pattern on the quiver. He growled again as he stuck himself with the needle again. I jumped at the sound.

"I hope you like the color red." He grumbled as he stuck his bleeding finger in his mouth. I smiled in response. He had never done anything so nice for me before. I didn't know how to respond. I didn't know how to thank him. The idea hit me like a wave upon the sand.

"I have to go." I mumbled to him and quickly grabbed the broken bits form under the tree. He didn't even have time to ask before I had disappeared through the trees. I held the wet pieces to my chest as I dashed through the village. Eagle, help my feet to fly.

I had just broken through the first wigwams of the village when I had heard my name called out. Father waved wingapo to me from beside the store house. I froze in my tracks as I turned to face him. The shambles that laid in my arms suddenly felt as heavy as the armor that John had lugged around at all times when we first met.

"_Bodies that shine like the sun." _Kekata had once said about the Englishmen's armor.

"Pocahontas." Nakoma breathed out as she jogged to me. I sighed in relief.

"Please, take these to my father's lodge and put them in my basket of clothes. Make sure they're at the bottom and can't be seen." I shoved the heap of wood into her confused arms. "I'll explain later." I gave her a quick shove in the direction of my father's lodge before I quickly jogged over to him.

"My daughter." He smiled warmly at me and put a big arm around my shoulders.

"Wingapo, Father." I smiled back at him and let him guide me from the store house to the river's edge. At least ten men were going back and forth, carrying baskets of food to fill up the canoes.

"I need you to go to the white man's village to trade." My heart skipped a beat with joy. I was actually useful for something. I beamed up at my father, ready to do a cartwheel across the sandy shore of the river bank.

"Of course, Father!" I had to work to contain my excitement as I jumped into the first canoe one the last basket of food had been loaded.

"Pocahontas, I need you to listen to me very carefully. When you trade the food, make sure you trade it for nothing less than their weapons." I could feel the world around me stop.

"Why do you want the white man's weapons? Our weapons are fine."

"Theirs will make hunting easier and faster as we are giving them our food anyway. It is the only way to guarantee that we won't stare this winter."

"_Weapons that spout fire and thunder."_


End file.
